James Gordon Bennett Memorial

«give my regards to broadway,
remember me to herald square»
This spectacular memorial is in the heart of Herald Square, within a few feet of Macy’s.
Herald Square is an appropriate location for a memorial dedicated to James Gordon Bennett Sr., because in 1835 he founded the New York Herald. The newspaper eventually had the largest circulation in the world, despite (or because of?) it’s frequent descent into sensationalism.
The memorial was first installed on the roof of the Herald building in 1895 and was relocated here when the building was demolished.
The granite memorial sits in a small park. It’s 50 feet tall and contains a huge bell and three statues. The largest statue is Minerva, goddess of wisdom, and she is flanked by two bell ringing blacksmiths. Every hour on the hour, the blacksmiths rotate at the waist and appear to strike the bell with their hammers, when they actually stop a few inches short. A real bell (hidden inside the memorial) rings to signal the hour, completing the sleight of hand illusion.
The description on a plaque reads:
a memorial to /​james gordon bennett (1795 – 1872) /​founder of the new york herald in 1835 /​and to his son /​james gordon bennett (1841 – 1918) /​thrugh whose vision and enterprise /​the new york herald became one of the /​world’s great /​newspapers /​the bronze figures of minerva and the /​bellringers are the work of antonin/​jean carles. they stood, from 1895 to /​1921. above the cornices of james /​gordon bennett’s new york herald /​building on the north side of herald /​square and tolled the active hours to /​the millions. in 1928, they were given /​by william t. dewart, publisher of the /​new york sun, to new york university, /​through whose generosity in 1928 they /​entered on permanent loan, the care /​of the department of parks of the city /​of new york, that they may be here /​restored to their original area of pleasant service, and /​to their place in the hearts of our /​citizens. funds for the restoration /​were provided by subscription of/​business organizations whose lives are /​deep rooted in the neighborhood of /​herald square. /​mcmxl/​